Archives for 13 October 2016

STATS SA delivers Annual Report to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee: The Statistician-General of South Africa, Dr Pali Lehohla, today presented the Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) annual report for the financial year 2015/2016 to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration & Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. The annual report shows that Stats SA had obtained yet another clean audit opinion from the Auditor-General. Dr Lehohla also announced Stats SA’s recent move to its new green building which is situated in the vicinity of the Freedom Park …

Today's posts from our featured Port Elizabeth Blogger:
Harbour view from Humerail: I had to stop at the Spar in Humerail this morning and stopped to admire the view of the harbour from the parking area. Some people wouldn't term this as a beautiful view but I like to call it an interesting view. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera so a cell phone photo will have to do.
Source: Port Elizabeth Daily Photo.
Things to do in Port Elizabeth #Blogathon: Nine bloggers (seven of those based in PE) were asked to create posts about things to do in Port Elizabeth as part of the …

‘Maintain optimism’: It’s business as usual for Gordhan ... the economy: He addressed journalists at the Bhisho state house after he met with Premier Phumulo Masualle and his cabinet. “And what you saw the rand doing on ... I think it was Tuesday ... is what you must expect to actually happen in this environment. So I think ...
Source: "Bhisho" - BingNews.
Theft and vandalism leave Eastern Cape without power: Dyantyi was responding to written questions from DA MPL Celeste Barker at the Bhisho legislature on Wednesday. She said the Fort Grey clinic near the East London airport had been …

NMB Executive Mayor Athol Trollip has today signed a memorandum of agreement with the NMMU SRC leadership, outlining a number of support services and systems that will assist all students during the current closure impasse and beyond.
We are the first municipality to come to the table in terms of directly assisting students and aim to set the standard of coordination with our youth in Higher Education institutions. This is in the interest of ensuring that our young people are able to access education so that they can reach their dreams.
We support the reopening of our universities and a …

For many buyers the excitement associated with buying a new car can make them forget about the financial realities associated with vehicle ownership. Along with monthly finance instalments, the costs of insurance, fuel and maintenance also need to be included in the car-buying budget. However, sometimes consumers take the risk of canceling their comprehensive insurance and drive around without any financial cover - with potentially disastrous consequences.
"For some buyers it is simply an affordability issue," says Rudolf Mahoney, Head of Brand and Communications at WesBank. "With …

The following remarks were made by DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Yusuf Cassim MP, at a press conference today at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University:
The DA has today launched an online portal allowing students who allege that they remain unfunded, despite qualifying for NSFAS, to speak-out about their concerns peacefully.
Almost all of these students are poor, and have been left behind by the ANC government’s complete lack of care and poor management of the system.
The DA will submit these names to the Minister of Higher Education and Training, …

Dear MyPE
"One for the Road" was the order of the day at a workshop hosted by the Department of Roads and Public Works recently. I personally witnessed, together with other DA-MPLs, how officials from the department lined up on the grass at the swimming pool to receive a beer shortly before their departure after their workshop at Mpekweni Beach Resort on Friday, 23 September 2016.
Service delivery must come before boozy workshops.
The department spent R338 849 on the two-day workshop to commemorate Women's Day for 120 female General Assistants.
This goes against the call on …

The South African motoring industry faced yet another challenging quarter, according to the latest TransUnion SA Vehicle Pricing Index (VPI) for new and used vehicle sales. The Q3 2016 VPI found that the rate of new and used vehicle pricing increased further to 9.9% and 2.8% in Q3 2016 from 8.4% and 2.7% in Q2 2016 respectively, which suggests used car sales volumes will continue to rise.
The VPI index measures the relationship between the year on year increase in vehicle pricing for new and used vehicles from a basket of passenger vehicles which incorporates the top 15 volume …

Eskom has reminded South Africans of the dangers of illegal electricity connections that can be deadly in some instances.
In a statement, Eskom said illegal connections, commonly known as izinyoka, and meter tampering are a significant cause of injuries and fatalities in the country.
"An electricity connection is considered illegal when any connection is made to the Eskom network without Eskom's permission. This can range from connecting to a mini sub-station, or simply connecting a neighbour through your personal meter or electricity board or tampering or bridging your meter," said the …

Spending impulsively and without a sense of a bigger financial picture can lead to over indebtedness. Eunice Sibiya, head of consumer education at FNB suggests asking yourself three questions before making any purchase.
1. Have I planned for this?
Unplanned purchases are usually the reason that you are unexpectedly living on credit or dipping into savings at month-end.
"No matter how perfectly you budget, it is very easy to blow it through just a few unplanned impulsive purchases," says Sibiya. "It feels great at the time, but will quickly derail you financially, and if you make a …

The rich and diverse sounds of various well-loved African artists will fill the air at The Boardwalk when the Afro Goes East Tour ventures to the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan on 5 November 2016. Afro music lovers are promised an encompassing and exuberant show with an ensemble of their favorite artists. Collaborating for the event are Musa Sukwene, Robbie Malinga, Vusi Nova, Amanda Black and many more.
On the 4th and 6th of November, comedy fans are promised loads of laughter at the Afro Goes East comedy events featuring a crazy lineup of comedians including Siya B, Thenjiwe, Kedibone …

The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape has welcomed three new nominee Members of the National Assembly, a Member of the Provincial Legislature and a Member of the National Council of Provinces to our ranks.
Following a Federal Executive ratification, these five candidates have proven to be highly driven and competent South Africans willing to serve our constituents in these spheres of government.
The decision wasn't an easy one for the Selection Panel which was chaired by outgoing Provincial Leader, Athol Trollip.
The competition between the 12, of the initial 558 hopefuls, was …

Schools, businesses, community organisations and sports organisations stand to win a prize worth R15 000 by participating in the annual Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer.
Presented by the Eastern Cape Department of Health, the Big Walk is one of the biggest charity events in the province.
Close to 12 000 participants turned the Port Elizabeth beach-front into a sea of pink T-shirts in 2015.
This year it is taking place on Saturday, October 29.
Beneficiaries of the 18th annual Big Walk for Cancer are the Igazi Foundation, CANSA and CHOC.
All teams with at least 200 participants in the …

Visit and explore Port St Johns accommodation choices.
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A MyPE Port St Johns selected video for you:
St. John's is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, a country located in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. With a population of 24,226 (2000), St. John's is the commercial centre of the nation and the chief port of the island of Antigua (Wikipedia). Photos taken on a Panasonic SD720 camcorder and created with FotoMagico 4.
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Malls go high-tech as retail developers up the ante: HIGH-TECH FUTURE: While the days of mega mall development in SA are limited, high-tech mixed-use destination retail developments such as Johannesburg’s acclaimed Dainfern Square are in demand. Photo: Wieland Gleich IN the fiercely competitive South African retail sector, mall developers are upping the ante to include a high-tech, interactive shopping environment in a bid to lure shoppers to their centres for longer. This is one of the strongest indications that technology – specifically Internet access – is in fact facilitating bricks and …

South Africa and Kenya sign Memorandum of Understanding on Investment Cooperation: Investment South Africa (ISA) and its counterpart, Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Investment Cooperation. The MoU was signed on the sidelines of President Jacob Zuma State Visit to Kenya on this week. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Acting Head of Invest SA Mr Yunus Hoosen said the MOU between Invest SA and KenInvest is intended to promote and facilitate investment between the two countries. He further stated that signing of the MOU is …

Today's posts from our featured Port Elizabeth Blogger:
Tata Tutu: BrainStorms - Ed Lunnon's Blog How would you like to die? | BrainStorms – Ed Lunnon’s Blog https://edlunnon.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/how-would-you-like-to-die/ Comments mads by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on the occasion of his 85th birthday last Friday: “I hope I am treated with compassion and allowed to pass onto the next phase of life’s journey in the manner of my choice. Today, I myself am even closer to the departures hall than arrivals, and my thoughts turn to how I would like to be treated when the …